Is weightloss possible from riding alone?

Just wondering who has kept their calorie intake the same and decided to pedal off the pounds. I seem to be gravitating towards this choice, as I can't seem to stay with any regimen what-so-ever when it comes to my food. I love my food ! But, I am a very fit person under this 45 pounds and I am determined to work harder at the riding. I've been gradually increasing my miles from a ridiculously easy starting point, and can ride around 20 miles now (bought a cyclometer), but mountain miles. You all know how that goes... you sit on your bike and coast for half the miles, and chug in low gears for the other half. Anyway... I'm still gaining at this point, only riding once a week , but about now I think I'm ready to boost it to 3 days per week. Middle age apreciates gradual change. :)

For me it's learning all over to bicycle commute for errands doing a Park~n~Ride, as well as putting in some distance training from home (everything a steep climb back) . My goal is to be able to bike commute with panniers to do lite errands, as well as ride a mountainous loop of about 65 miles. I'm giving myself a year-ish to achieve that goal while slimming down to a comfortable weight I can live with.

Who can relate?

My DH. he's lost at least 20 pounds since he became a serious rider. And that includes all the muscle he's built!

He eats ice cream and popcorn many nights a week. When he's not riding, he cannot do that and keep his figure :cool:


okay, okay, i lost 3 pounds from riding. but i don't have much to lose!!!

The hard part is eating the same amount when you're exercising more. My understanding is that women's bodies in particular are prone to demanding more calories to avoid losing fat (horrors!).

But if you're exercising, you're building muscle, which is a good thing regardless =)

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

My DH. he's lost at least 20 pounds since he became a serious rider. And that includes all the muscle he's built!

He eats ice cream and popcorn many nights a week. When he's not riding, he cannot do that and keep his figure :cool:

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Mimitabby ~ your posts read 8,888 !!!! Wow! that's nuts !

but anyway, yeah, I've decided that my love affair with cooking and making delicious whole food from scratch is just something that's as integral as my need to be a lean mean riding machine. I guess I just start riding like crazy, and whatever ends up reading on the scale, ends up reading. I know I'll drop at least half this weight, if I keep to my training schedule... I have to!

I have been hiking mornings with doggo for a couple years now, most days, (have slacked off in recent months due to sore feet and hips from weight gain !) and that doesn't seem to do squat for weight loss for me. I guess I was born to ride, so ride I'll have to get serious about. Thanks :D

I know tons of men who lose weight by just riding more. No diet alterations at all.

On the flip side... I started riding almost 3 years ago now. In that time, I've GAINED 30 lbs and almost all of it during cycling seasons. I have a very difficult time controlling my appetite when I'm riding a lot.

Ultimately, very few people can out bike what they can eat. Diet plays a HUGE role.

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Originally Posted by bounceswoosh

(horrors!)...But if you're exercising, you're building muscle, which is a good thing regardless =)

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Monique, aint it true ! I've always had a lot of muscle, dont' think I can get much more! There's quite a muscular woman beneath my stack of spare tires. ;) Thanks!

ps. just curious... what does 'bouceswhoosh' and 'oooh shiny' really mean ? Sounds quite interesting.... ;)

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

I know tons of men who lose weight by just riding more. No diet alterations at all.

On the flip side... I started riding almost 3 years ago now. In that time, I've GAINED 30 lbs and almost all of it during cycling seasons. I have a very difficult time controlling my appetite when I'm riding a lot.

Ultimately, very few people can out bike what they can eat. Diet plays a HUGE role.

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Well, that's discouraging ! ;)

I can't help but think that the calories/burn ratio is just a part of the picture. Age, and lifestyle off the bike must count for something. I'm 46 and have been riding, and hiking, and gardening for most of my adult life, off and on... mostly on. I'm a mesomorphic build , never over 20 lbs overweight till I hit 40yrs... then with perimenopause, all hell broke loose. Now I'm just having to deal.

For a slightly different viewpoint - cycling is the most weight-loss-friendly exercise I've ever done, for the simple fact that I can maintain a moderate intensity for long periods of time. Running is just too demanding for me (and most people, I think) to do for the same amounts of time that would be considered a medium-length ride (2-4 hours). I almost always drop a pound or two when I increase my mileage significantly. (... but maybe I'm kidding myself and that pound is coming from the upper body muscle I'm losing from less time in the gym:rolleyes: - anyway my pants fit better -)

Plus, to me, terrestrial exercise really suppresses my appetite - I have to force myself to eat after a ride to replenish my muscle glycogen. (Swimming, OTOH, always makes me ravenous. :p)

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Originally Posted by jayjay

Monique, aint it true ! I've always had a lot of muscle, dont' think I can get much more! There's quite a muscular woman beneath my stack of spare tires. ;) Thanks!

ps. just curious... what does 'bouceswhoosh' and 'oooh shiny' really mean ? Sounds quite interesting.... ;)

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LOL

Bounceswoosh -- very geeky origin -- Back in the day, my Everquest character used to do the following when fighting:

Weylin bounces!
Weylin swooshes!
Weylin (says) Pa Pa Pa POW!

... so then some of my in-game friends started calling me bounceswoosh, and it kinda went from there.

"oooh shiny" is ... hrm ... just me trying to capture my adoration for bike parts and, well, frankly, all things material. But especially bikes; I see a bike and I'm fascinated like a crow finding a shiny object.

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

For a slightly different viewpoint - cycling is the most weight-loss-friendly exercise I've ever done...Plus, to me, terrestrial exercise really suppresses my appetite - I have to force myself to eat after a ride to replenish my muscle glycogen. (Swimming, OTOH, always makes me ravenous. :p)

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WEll, this one is *very* encouraging ! Come to think about it, I recall the years I was riding lots (32 to 40) I really could eat, and I kept a moderate BMI. I also agree with you that the distance riding is an appetite suppressor, it seems one can hit the threshold of longer aerobic with cycling, which must wrench the stomach.

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Originally Posted by bounceswoosh

LOL

Bounceswoosh -- very geeky origin -- Back in the day, my Everquest character used to do the following when fighting:

Weylin bounces!
Weylin swooshes!
Weylin (says) Pa Pa Pa POW!

... so then some of my in-game friends started calling me bounceswoosh, and it kinda went from there.

"oooh shiny" is ... hrm ... just me trying to capture my adoration for bike parts and, well, frankly, all things material. But especially bikes; I see a bike and I'm fascinated like a crow finding a shiny object.

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I see, wow, very interesting. Crows and raccoons ! ;) Raccoons are known to grab something shiny and not let go... sounds like some of us cyclists. ;)

I've lost some weight from riding without really making significant adjustments to my diet but the scale hasn't budged in a while HOWEVER I am back to wearing older, smaller clothes so that has to account for something, right? Food and I have a torrid love affair. If I could find a jersey that said, "I ride to eat!" I'd be ALL OVER that one. ;)

Well, my experience with cycling and weight loss is this...

I pulled my bike out after ten years of not riding. My husband and I started at the same time. I was 140 or so and knew I needed to loose the weight. So on I went to my bike. After work we would do something like 6-10 miles. everyday or so. Then on the weekends, I would go for a longer length ride with no particular specified milegage. At the time, I did not have a cyclometer so I went by how I felt and how my body changed. In a few months I ended up loosing 10 or more pounds.

I have been very active my whole life as well. Now I am reaching 40! Yikes. So I make an effort to ride, or hike, or somesort of exercise as best I can do with school, work, and some sort of family life. The exercise part has been a struggle!

Red Rock

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Originally Posted by F8th637

I've lost some weight from riding without really making significant adjustments to my diet but the scale hasn't budged in a while HOWEVER I am back to wearing older, smaller clothes so that has to account for something, right? Food and I have a torrid love affair. If I could find a jersey that said, "I ride to eat!" I'd be ALL OVER that one. ;)

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I'd buy that jersey too, and it would have a big slice of chocolate cream pie on it, with a steaming cup of espresso..... rather like a WayneThiebauld painting ! I can picture it " I brake for food " and the jersey sponsor pix can be all those lovely pastry, desert, & coffee companies like Hostess, Peet's Coffee, Ben & Jerry's Icecream, etc....

YUM! Lets get a team, and train together nationwide as The BonBon Babes !!! :cool::D

Last year this time I weighed 140 lbs and intended to lose 15. I did that but at the same time started cycling more seriously. After I lost the 15 I ramped up my cycling to train for a century and by the time of the century I was 135. Over the winter I kept riding and eating about the same. Now I am 140 again, but my body is definitely different. My legs are muscular and my rear doesn't "seem" fat, although I am back to wearing 8/9 pants because the 5/6 pants that fit me at 130 stopped fitting over my upper legs, which are more muscular now. It seems like the newer fashion pants - the skinny pants - don't work on my bicycle legs at all.

But I am happy with the weight because I know a lot is muscle and it's really all about if you're happy with what is in the mirror. And I am. Plus I eat whatever I want. Let the scary-skinny girls wear the new fashions. I'll be voluptious and strong in my 8/9 bootleg jeans.

;)

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Originally Posted by jayjay

I'd buy that jersey too, and it would have a big slice of chocolate cream pie on it, with a steaming cup of espresso..... rather like a WayneThiebauld painting ! I can picture it " I brake for food " and the jersey sponsor pix can be all those lovely pastry, desert, & coffee companies like Hostess, Peet's Coffee, Ben & Jerry's Icecream, etc....

YUM! Lets get a team, and train together nationwide as The BonBon Babes !!! :cool::D

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Haa haa, a girl after my own heart, jayjay! The "I Brake for Food" jersey did cross my mind at one point as well. The BonBon Babes, I love it!

Hmmm...I am 24 (a period when losing weight should be quite easy) and I am STRUGGLING. I have been running, doing strength training, and cycling since January, and i've lost 8 lbs. Although I am happy with the weight loss, other people I know would lose 20 lbs or more doing all that exercise and eating healthy.

I actually broke down in tears during my longest ride on Sunday because my BF made a joke about me being a fatty. I knew he was only joking around, but all the frustrations with losing weight just came up and I got upset.

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Originally Posted by Fujichants

Hmmm...I am 24 (a period when losing weight should be quite easy) and I am STRUGGLING. I have been running, doing strength training, and cycling since January, and i've lost 8 lbs. Although I am happy with the weight loss, other people I know would lose 20 lbs or more doing all that exercise and eating healthy.

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Fuji~ I was 24 when I started distance cycling and it changed everything! I had previously struggled, but the riding just gravitated me into athleticism. It likely will be that way for you to.

I can't help but wonder if I am in denial about how many calories I'm taking in. For now, just being aware of what I am eating, and veering away from empty food, no matter how much I crave it, and choose something healthier, is my only approach in food arena~ for now. I know that when the miles start stacking on with the distance rides, that the pounds will have no choice but to melt off. So I am building my capacity to burn for now, tuning up my engine for future performance, while disregarding the actual weightloss at the present.

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I actually broke down in tears during my longest ride on Sunday because my BF made a joke about me being a fatty. I knew he was only joking around, but all the frustrations with losing weight just came up and I got upset.

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That was totally uncalled for, as you are actually doing something about it. Perhaps he is thinking he will motivate you, by poking you with jokes where you are vulnerable ~ but he will only learn his lesson the hard way, when you dump his a$$. :D

Fuji, if that avatar pic is of you then you are by no means a fatty.

And remember that when you are building muscle, you're not going to see weight loss. Or if you do, it will be very gradual. What you would see is reduction in measurement. Take a tape measure and measure yourself in the key spots and then do it again one month later. You WILL see a difference if you stay at this level of activity.

Just keep doing what you're doing. Be aware of what you are eating - feed to fuel - and exercize and try to relax and enjoy it. What fun is getting in shape when all it is is deprivation and disappointment? Better to enjoy life (especially while young and beautiful) and don't worry so much about a few pounds.

Fuji,

Wow. Someone, especially someone who is supposed to love for you and care about you, making a "fatty" joke is never okay. I'm so sorry that happened to you. I know how painful that is. And I agree -- looking at your pic, you are not fat! Not that that would be an excuse for saying something like that. There is no excuse.

Sometimes it's a dietary thing -- and I don't mean calories. I am not in any way saying this would work for anyone else -- but since I quit gluten (and soy and egg, to a slightly less strict extent), I have been shedding pounds and bulk. I lost six pounds right away, and since then I've been shedding maybe a pound every month. I know some of this is just from having fewer easily available snack/junk foods, but really, I don't feel like I'm holding back -- I eat lots of yummy food, more chocolate (dark) than ever, and ice cream. Not only am I losing fat and bulk -- I also feel more energetic than ever. I'm not tired all the time anymore. I have fewer breakouts on my face. Everything just seems to work better.

I'm *not* saying that gluten is the key for you or anyone. I'm wondering if there is some food or additive that doesn't work well with your system.

I think you can lose *some* weight with just cycling, but realistically, food plays a huge part in weight loss/gain. It's not just the quantity, it's the quality of the food you eat, too.
I would say I love to eat, too and a big part of my social life revolves around going out to eat. And I like to cook. But, to most people, my diet is spartan. No junk food. Ever. No fast food. I eat dessert for special dinners, birthdays, fancier restaurants, etc. I always eat breakfast and 2 healthy snacks a day. Dinners a lot of nights are gourmet sandwiches, many from Cooking Light magazine recipes.
I do at a piece of dark chocolate almost every night and I do love my coffee and a glass of wine. But I drink it black. So, I guess what I am saying is that if you cut back just a little, you'll probably see a big improvement in the weight loss. I am almost 55 and I weight the same as I did in high school.

Just a thought...when I started cycling three years ago, I piled up on all the hydration drinks and powders, goo gels, etc. I finally realized how packed with calories these things are and now only take goo or hydration drinks if I am road riding for several hours at a time (like a group ride or something.)

If I'll be pedaling less than an hour, its water only for me now. Unless it gets 95 or above, I might add some powder to my water, but not the "recommended amount."

I also use www.fitday.com to see how many calories I actually burn during a ride.

However, my appetite does increase as my hours in the saddle increase. Since I'm OK with where my weight is, I'm watching it but not really getting into a battle with myself over it. One good thing about the heat, it does tend to suppress my appetite (til I cool off!)

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Originally Posted by Crankin

I am almost 55 and I weight the same as I did in high school.

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Props.

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Originally Posted by jayjay

Who can relate?

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I really like commuting by bike because it lets me get 40 minutes of exercise every single day for an expenditure of 10 minutes. Ten minutes is how much longer it takes me to ride than it would to drive, park and walk (round trip). Since I started bike commuting 2 1/2 years ago, I've made other more subtle lifestyle changes: I take the stairs out of habit. It no longer even occurs to me to use the elevator. I walk instead of ride whenever possible. I look for pretty routes instead of short cuts. I run errands around the building and campus as they come up, instead of saving them up to take care of all at once.

Does it take more time to run 3 errands when I could have done it in 1? Sure, but it takes less time than making some special effort to exercise.

I also added in nightly situps and pushups. I started with 1 (as soon as I was able after a hysterectomy) and worked my way up to 100 by adding about 5 a week. It took a few months. I don't do 100 every night, it varies around 40-60 depending on how regularly I've been doing them. (I can bike through stress, illness, and busy but I can't stick to nightly situps through any of those.)

Anyway, your real question was about weight loss, and I did lose a fair bit of weight, from 160 pounds to 135 now, most of it during the first year, who knows what that is in body fat because I know I gained a lot of muscle. I did not diet on purpose. I hate counting calories so I don't know if my intake was the same or less--I guess less because if I'm busy biking I don't have so much time to crave brownies and ice cream. (In fact today I did NOT have a bike ride, and we drove to Andy's for the buy-one-get-one-free...)

My guess is that regular daily riding increases muscle and metabolism and could allow you to lose weight without reducing calories, if you aren't too impatient and are willing to let it take months or years.

Hi there...Bounces- what a crack up- I'm like that with bikes too..oohhh shiny!

Anyway, here is my weigh in (ho ho ho) on riding and losing.

I started out at 270 lbs. and lost 70 lbs riding a Specialized. It wasn't real easy but I wrote down everything I ate and tried to stay within specific calories (you can find calorie calculators or use a sports nutrition book to find out what you need to take in). But after riding for hours on end, I got so hungry I had to eat back some calories, so I would eat back about 1/3rd and that seemed to work.

I dropped another 30 lbs after getting my Ellsworth. BUT then I moved to the East coast from Tahoe for a while for work, and this winter, I put 20 lbs back on. How depressing. The only difference is I wasn't riding. I have about 40 lbs to go including the 20 lbs to get to the magic 155 lbs. I am supposed to be no bigger than 140 lbs but I'll see when I get there. I am pretty muscular and I can't imagine weighing less than that.

So I guess you really need to watch what you are eating. I wouldn't go splurging like mad if you rode a couple of hours, that and I stopped eating out but once a week (which I think has alot to do with gaining weight!) and eating packaged foods. Right now, just to change things, I snagged a Weight Watchers kit that has the calculator and books to do the Points deal. Yeah yeah, but you know what, it's so much easier than fiddling with all the calories and it's actually kind of fun. And more mindless. I'm losing about 2 lbs a week and I ride about 3 hours a week. I'm starting to commute back and forth to work (32 mi round trip got sidelined with a kidney infection) and when that starts it just will drop off. I think the key is doing something that is built in. I did that last year and it just dropped faster. Good luck!

Not sure what the props comment was.

All I am saying is that you CAN do it. It may be slow, but the weight comes off. It takes a lot of self discipline. I know because I gained 25 lbs. when i got out of college. It took my dad telling me I looked like a fat pig to start exercising and eating right and I haven't stopped since then. It took me a year to lose the weight, but I think doing it slowly kept it off and gave me time to adjust to new habits.

The hardest part about eating in this country is how sabotaged just about everything we eat is by corn. Whether our livestock was fed with it or it sweetens just about every processed piece of food we eat. So the challenge here would be to cycle as you will, eat as you will, but try to avoid the egregious yellow saboteur! TRY THAT CHALLENGE! One of my favorite dishes is a trout dish I make. Unfortunately, if it's farm raised, even it was fed a corn diet! But I could just about guarantee that you would drop and/or keep off the weight if you drop the HF CS - that's my guess, (I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, I just read a lot).:eek:

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Not sure what the props comment was.

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It's a compliment: http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=props (see last).:D

In my case, I thought I was doing OK on the foods, I was trying for more fruits/vegies/protein and cut back some not so great stuff, but I learned there are SO many hidden calories.

Out of curiosity I became anal about readinglabels and looking up calories in everything I ate and kept a detailed log of everything, not to chastise myself or feel bad about that pint of B&J, but to actually see where it all came from.

Then I started to cut back portion sizes and some of the periferal foods and I started to lose (45 lbs since Jan 2007). I record what I burn off so I know that my net calories average for a week needs to be 1400 to maintain my weight. So those 3 hard candies I suck on to stay away from the cookie jar are still 140 calories. The steak sauce was 50, but start adding "just a few" calories all day and all of a sudden I can be at an extra 200 calories ...that's a lot in my scheme of things. Even the power bars after a ride are a couple hundred calories.

I believe we just need to know at what point with net calories our body will lose, maintain, gain weight.

Jay Jay, just found this old thread and wondered if you made any progress with the weight loss?

I haven't lost a significant amount of weight from cycling, although like a number of other women here, my body shape and size has improved. As Oakleaf suggested, long distance cycling is great for burning calories. Unfortunately, it also provides a ready (and worthy) excuse to eat more. I'm FAMISHED almost all the time when my mileage is up. I don't miss many meals when I'm reading 150 to 200 miles a week.

I think it's possible to curtail caloric intake when you're riding a lot, but it takes a lot of discipline. You also have to be pretty careful to get enough calories, the right kind of calories, and at the right times of day to fuel high mileage. It's not easy. That heaping plate of pasta looks really good after a long ride.

I would encourage you to include some resistance training in your cycling routine. Cycling is great for your legs, but it doesn't do much to maintain or build muscle in your upper body or core. You might also keep a food diary to track what and when you're eating.

Good luck!

I lost 35 pounds about 1.5 years ago (and have kept it off effortlessly with good diet/exercise habits). For me, what was key was:

1-Discovering that I undersecrete insulin and therefore need to eat a low carb diet to both normalize my blood sugars and body weight.

2-Get over the myth that we need to consume carbs and/or mass quantities in order to ride a bike.

I think that many women who gained weight when they started to cycle, also have problems with blood sugar control, especially if they also started eating more carbs as they upped their cycling intensity. In fact, that can even be the source of hunger many of you are commenting on is brought on by cycling. I would argue its not the cycling, its the hyperglycemic state some people enter if they consume too many carbs while riding.

I am not saying that carbs are not a good fuel source, in the right body of course they are. But if you have a body that is either hypoinsulinemic (like mine) or hyperinsulinemic/insulin resistant (a more common problem especially among heavier individuals), then carbs are not the best fuel source. Instead, I fuel my rides with protein (amino acid metabolism generates TCA cycle intermediates that can be used to generate ATP in muscle) and body fat.

As long as I eat the foods my body can process correctly, then my body weight really is regulated by the calories in/calories out equations.

I also noticed that when I was heavier and used to ride with other heavy women, most of them ate constantly on the bike. Now that I am lighter and can ride with light men, I notice they consume much less food on the bike. Yes, fuel on a ride is important, but the amounts and frequency is not as great as some people think, especially if the goal is to even partially utilize our fat stores as fuel when we ride.

So food is important, but folks that can't loose weight despite good diet and exercise habits, really need to explore whether there are underlying metabolic reasons that could be corrected by a modified diet.

You also need to really look at what you are reading. Many articles are written about food consumption for racing which obviously can be more taxing on the energy reserves than a slower pace spin. I can maintain my weight loss cycling with good eating habits but I never lost weight cycling because I mostly ride at a leisurely pace. At least that is my thought behind it, I am losing weight right now but I cross train with running which for me was a missing part of the weight loss equation.

The latest issue of Bicycling Magazine does hav features on people who lost over 100 lbs cycling. It was an interesting read.

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Originally Posted by Triskeliongirl

I lost 35 pounds about 1.5 years ago (and have kept it off effortlessly with good diet/exercise habits). For me, what was key was:

1-Discovering that I undersecrete insulin and therefore need to eat a low carb diet to both normalize my blood sugars and body weight.

2-Get over the myth that we need to consume carbs and/or mass quantities in order to ride a bike.

I think that many women who gained weight when they started to cycle, also have problems with blood sugar control, especially if they also started eating more carbs as they upped their cycling intensity. In fact, that can even be the source of hunger many of you are commenting on is brought on by cycling. I would argue its not the cycling, its the hyperglycemic state some people enter if they consume too many carbs while riding.

I am not saying that carbs are not a good fuel source, in the right body of course they are. But if you have a body that is either hypoinsulinemic (like mine) or hyperinsulinemic/insulin resistant (a more common problem especially among heavier individuals), then carbs are not the best fuel source. Instead, I fuel my rides with protein (amino acid metabolism generates TCA cycle intermediates that can be used to generate ATP in muscle) and body fat.

As long as I eat the foods my body can process correctly, then my body weight really is regulated by the calories in/calories out equations.

I also noticed that when I was heavier and used to ride with other heavy women, most of them ate constantly on the bike. Now that I am lighter and can ride with light men, I notice they consume much less food on the bike. Yes, fuel on a ride is important, but the amounts and frequency is not as great as some people think, especially if the goal is to even partially utilize our fat stores as fuel when we ride.

So food is important, but folks that can't loose weight despite good diet and exercise habits, really need to explore whether there are underlying metabolic reasons that could be corrected by a modified diet.

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Interesting information. Thank you for sharing.

I would agree that a lot of people overeat during rides and/or use a sports drink of some kind when water will do. As a general rule, I eat far less than what is often recommended and have never bonked. Rather, my hunger usually manifests itself 24-48 hours following a heavy weekend of riding. I think I could stave off the worst of that hunger by making sure that I eat several small, well-balanced meals during that period. Still, I think some of my perceived hunger is purely psychological in that I feel justified in eating more because I'm riding. Finally, I would note that dehydration can manifest itself as hunger so it's important to stay well hydrated.

I would further note, in sharing my personal experience, that I didn't need to lose/gain any weight when I started riding and I've never actually dieted while cycling. I will freely admit that I could eat far less and still have enough fuel to ride as much as I do. The hardest time for me is when the weather starts to change such that I can't ride as much or at all. Significantly decreasing my caloric intake to account for that is difficult, and I ususually pack on a couple of extra pounds as a result. It doesn't help that it usually coincides with the holidays. :(

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Originally Posted by MauiRockHopper

Jay Jay, just found this old thread and wondered if you made any progress with the weight loss?

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JayJay hasn't been on the board since 9/14/08. It may be a while before you get an answer from her. :)

Veronica

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Originally Posted by indysteel

I would agree that a lot of people...use a sports drink of some kind when water will do....my hunger usually manifests itself 24-48 hours following a heavy weekend of riding.

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Unsurprisingly, the cheapest sports drinks are the ones made with HFCS, so those are the ones that casual athletes and ride organizers tend to use. Most people DO need to replace electrolytes and plain water WON'T do for the duration of a ride. Yes, things like Nuun and Emergen-C are available, but they're expensive and available only at specialty stores.

I was just remarking how the sole advantage of the holiday grease/salt/sugar binge is that I haven't needed to intentionally add salt to my beverages... :p:o

And it may not be true for everyone, but if I'm ravenous a day or two after an intense ride, I'm depleted in many different ways, and it's not healthy - not least because I'm not up to continuing my regular workouts on those days. If I replenish glycogen and a bit of protein immediately after a ride - within the window of an hour or two when I really have to FORCE myself to eat - then I don't overeat because I'm not hungry at all, in fact the idea of food is nauseating; and I don't experience the ravenousness that kicks in once my body realizes it's depleted, because I don't allow it to become severely depleted.

Yes, indeed electrolytes are important, especially on longer rides. For a commute ride (45 min. at low intensity) I drink plain water and don't eat anything or supplement with electrolytes.

On longer rides (i.e. club rides or touring), I use a sports drink that is made from protein and electrolytes, but is carb free (again, remember I have impaired glucose tolerance). I supplement that with almonds after about 2 hours.

I find that I generally can eat what I want during cycling season, but I have to put in about 8 to 10 hours a week. Also, the part about sports gels and such is also something to consider. If I'm out for less than 90 minutes than water is sufficient. Certain exceptions do apply, like excessively hot weather or race pace. A lot of it is experimental, and you have to do the experiments to see what works for you.

My main exercise is bicycling. I've lost weight and kept it off. But you really must eat very good nutritious foods. That combo of the very best of food and vigorous exercise just never fails. I've lost about 40 pounds through biking. This year I've bike about 9,300 miles! That's a lot of cranking the pedals. Eating too much junk is a slippery slope to weight gain, no matter how much you cycle/exercise! I'm almost 64 years old, and after menopause it isn't easy -- those pounds can really stick tight -- unless you MOVE that body everyday!

Read my blog posts: www.bycycletrips.blogspot.com

When I went cross country in 2001 and again in 2006 (You can read my journals of these trips, a link is found on the blog) I lost weight then too. Averaging 85 miles a day of cycling -- your metabolism is like a furnace! Loved it!

You're going to hate me, but I have to eat so much when I'm training hard to avoid losing too much weight (including burning off muscle) that I just get sick and tired of eating. So, I have to eat a lot more when I ride my bike. I struggled with 5 extra pounds or so of college flab for a long time before I got into cycling. It was a full year before I really lost any weight, though my body composition did change some. Within another 6 months I had gotten a lot faster, a lot more fit (finally seeing big changes in my resting HR, faster recovery times, etc.), and I dropped about 10lbs from my starting point (only about 3 lbs dropped that first year). Now I'm nearing 2 1/2 years of road cycling, and I have definitely gone down a size in clothes. Pants are still a challenge because of the thighs, which have always been muscular for me, but I'm still down.

When I started training to race, I gave up on all the dieting and watching what I ate that I had tried for years. I still have a fairly structured diet because I have IBS, but cycling has helped me control those symptoms so I can eat some foods and amounts of food that had previously been too risky.